The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-24
SAYS HE IS ST. JOHN.
How An Old Man Named C. B. Thomp-
son Originated New Religion.
From the Philadelphia NerS.
H.; l. Io,,ro NJ On1E


From the Philadelphia NeCs.
In the little brick house No. 2915 Diamond
street lives the founder of new religion His
name is G. B. Thompson, and by trade he is
clothing cutter, He is over 70 years old.
His white hair falls in luxuriant tresses over
his shoulders, and his beard and moustache
are as long and as white as were Rip Van
Wrinkles after his long sleep
Mr.. Thompson says he is st. John
the Evangelist, incarnate again upon earth
He has been preaching his peculiar doctrines
for over forty years, chiefly in the West,
and, while accepting the Bible in a modified
way, places a book of his Own called the
''Great Divine Charter and Sacred Constitu-
ton of Iabba's Universal and Everlasting
Kingdom" far above it in authority.
A reporter interviewed the seer yesterday
afternoon
II was inspired to write that book" said
Mr.. Thompson, referring to the volume
mentioned above. ''No visible appearance
o rdered me to do so, but the Holy Spirit Of
God. The command to write it came early
in 1870, in order that records might be kept
of prophesies fulfilled of Daniel and John
and others. All these prophets fOretold |
should write this book. The revelation was
made to me here in Philadelphia while |
was working as a clothing cutter in Wanna
maker & Browns. 1t was manifested to me
in early life that this was to be my future
work. l wrote in the daytime in 1870 under
| inspiration. The ideas, not the words, We're
inspired No divine writer ever had in
spiration i'm words; that is mistaken idea.
When the book was finished / received an
inspired command to give it to the public,
so l had it printed and circulated copies at
| SOC. each.n
VERY FEW COPIES DISPOSED OF.
''Did YOU sell MANY copiesW
''NOt very many. People treated it with
| silent contempt | have no doubt many
joke passed about it"
The book referred to is a small one Of
seventy two pages, tumble of secret order
rituals and quotations from Biblical
prophecies 1t gives minute directions con-
corning formations sof "Senates" and
Councils" This is the title page:
preface and errata of the Great Divine
Charter and Sacred Constitution of Iabba's
Universal and Everlasting Kingdom.
The opening of the Shiloh dispensation
of peace and of the fitness of time.
Revealing and finishing the mystery of
God
Showing the distinct origin of the differ
ent faces of living beings with souls.
1.-THE regeneration of the men in the flesh
and their final and eternal inheritance upon
the earth.
See Gen. 1914, 10; Eph. 1:1O; Gen. 1:24
g..
1--WE do not believe i'll miracles" con-
! tinued the founder of the new religion,
called "Cyipz." There never was mira
| Gle. Miracles would imply turning nature
out out of it's course. There appeared to be
miracles in olden times, and the ignorant be
| lieved them, but the wise did not. The
Apostles and the Saviour never said there
were miracles. irresponsible people perverted
the Bible to make them say So"
| SW hat is the cornerstone of yOur SyS
temp
''The reincarnation of souls. Jesus Christ
was first Adam, then Noah, then Jacob,
David, Isaiah and finally the Saviour He
was born naturally, not supernaturally.
All mems souls reappear on earth in this
manner"
MANY TIMES ON EARTH.
''Do you remember being on earth before
| existing in your present formF'
"Yes. So do all souls that attain perfec-
ton. The bodily brain dies and turns to
dust, so carnal things are not remembered.
But the spiritual are. The soul comes into
body again in the third or fourth genera
ton. Judgment comes in the flesh, not in
the spirit"
III you do not believe in heaven or hell,
what do you mean by paradisel'
Paradise is place on earth, undoubtedly.
My idea is that it is a cavity at the South
Pole. There the weather is always pleasant,
and trees bloom the year round Strange
animals live there Everything is real.
There are Christ, and Abraham, and Enoch
and Elijah, and many others-in the natural
body They eat, and breathe as we do, and
if you were to see one of them you would
not know he was different from other
men,"
Fifteen people meet every Sunday at 1870
a. m. and 1880 p. N. in the hail, 2,2A Ridge
avenue, to hear Mr.. Thompson preach his
peculiar doctrines He has an assistant
minister" Elder A. Grist, who keeps q
cheap restaurant on the first floor of No
2,2A These services are very simple, con-
sisting of songs prayers, exhortations Mr.
Thompson claims to have many converts in
different parts Of the country.
One of the main ideas of the religion of
"Cyipz" is that the white race shall rule
the world, negroes, Cinnamon, Indians, etc,
being in subsection to it. Mr.. Thompson
says this has already come to pass, and the
next thing that will occur is the overthrow
of all the kingdoms on earth AID the con-
stitutions of nations into republics.